Copper vs PEX Piping for your Cedar Park Home

Nov 12, 2012

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Choosing a piping material for your Cedar Park home can be overwhelming.
As a homeowner many factors are up for consideration and much of it depends
on the ultimate location and purpose of the piping. Nevertheless, any
homeowner wants to ensure they are making a wise investment when it comes
to important areas such as plumbing. That being said, two of the best
choices are copper and PEX piping and with some background information
anyone can make the right decision for their home or application. if in
doubt ask a professional licensed plumber.

Let’s start off by introducing the two types of piping mentioned.
PEX (short for cross-linked polyethylene) is basically a type of plastic
with cross-linked bonds added to the structure during the extrusion process.
Copper piping is exactly what its name suggests-piping made out of copper.
The copper is melted down and the cast into piping. The difference between
these two piping choices virtually boils down to the differences in how
they are made. Nevertheless, it is important to begin by saying that both
PEX piping and copper piping are excellent choices for virtually any home
and are both considerably easy to install. They are both flexible making
the installation process easy since they can be accommodated to fit most
any space or configuration. PEX piping in particular is not only flexible
but can withstand great variations in temperature. Because PEX carries
properties of plastic it is able to expand and contract as the temperatures
shift making it a sensible option for most household uses. It is unable
to corrode, lasts a long time and is often cheaper than the alternative.
Two major drawbacks with PEX piping are that it is susceptible to ultraviolet
degradation and possible water contamination either from outside water
or piping material. Although the last point is still being researched
the risk factor exists.

Copper on the other hand is durable and bio-static making it resistant
to the growth of bacteria. It is also not affected by ultraviolet rays
making it suitable for outside use. Furthermore it resists corrosion and
is recyclable. The major drawbacks with copper are that it can be expensive
and the pipes are susceptible to bursting with extreme temperature changes.